I think David Kirk made a mistake.  TradeMe is doomed and he wasted $700m on a web site that can’t survive with a radical change.

Why?

Because everyone I talk to about TradeMe has been burnt to one extent or another – either by not receiving the goods/money, getting the wrong goods, being slagged off by a buyer or seller, etc.  TradeMe is unwilling and probably unable to provide anything more than rudementary protection to it’s users – it’s no better than the notice board at your local supermarket.

Sooner or later the number of pissed off users is going to exceed the satisfied users.  Sooner or later, the number of dodgey dealers is going to exceed the genuine dealers.  Sooner or later people are going to get bored with idiots trying to sell crap for rediculous amounts – it’s just not funny any more.  The joke is over.  Time to move on to something that gives a better service to traders.